Earring



A. E. SAUE'R Dec. 23, 1969 EARRING Filed July 5, 1968 m T N E V N ALFRED EUGENE SAUER BY wflww ATTORNEY United States Patent O EARRING Alfred Eugene Sauer, Warwick, R.I., assignor to B. A. Ballou & Co., Incorporated, Providence, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed July 3, 1968, Ser. No. 742,207 Int. Cl. A441) 21/00; A44c 7/00 US. Cl. 24-252 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to earrings of the type which may be worn without piercing of the ear lobes to which they are applied and is concerned primarily with the mechanism that is secured to an ear lobe and to which the ornament is attached.

In earrings of the type with which this invention is concerned, certain factors are of importance. In the first place, it must be easily applied with an operation that is the optimum of simplicity. Secondly, it must be worn with a high degree of comfort, and finally, it must be securely held in wearing position.

With these conditions in mind the invention has an important object. The provision of an earring that comprises essentially two elements pivotally secured together. One of these elements is a spring clip of generally U shape presenting a pair of legs integrally joined by a bend. These legs gradually diminish in extent towards their free ends thus providing an area of appreciable extent in the leg which engages the lobe of a wearer. The other leg is formed with a pair of outwardly extending ears adjacent to its free end and these cars constitute a mounting for pivot tabs which extend into openings therein. The other element takes the form of a clasp also generally of U shape but with one arm shorter than the other. This short arm is pivotally mounted on tabs formed integrally therewith and has an angularly disposed end flange, the end edge of which is engaged by a leg of the clip when the earring is in wearing position. This engagement, coupled with the resilient and elastic properties of the spring clip, maintain the earring in wearing position under yielding pressure.

Another object is to provide, in an earring of the type aforesaid, a clasp element having a long arm to Which' an ornament is attached and which extends beyond the clip to cooperate therewith in engaging an ear lobe.

Another somewhat more detailed object is to provide, in an earring of the character noted, a spring clip having an enlarged bend portion and leg portions immediately contiguous thereto, which are closely spaced apart. From this zone of close spacing, the legs diverge at a wider angle towards their free ends.

Still another object in view is to provide in an earring of the kind described, a clasp element having a short arm formed with an end flange the angular relation of which is accurately determined to locate its free edge properly with respect to the pivotal mounting of the clasp to as sure that after dead center is past the leg of the spring clip will engage the end edge of the flange with a yield- "ice ing pressure constantly exerted by the spring clip to cause the ornament carrying arm of the clasp tobe urged toward the opposite leg, of the clip.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will in part be made apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of an earring designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention and depicted in closed or wearing position.

FIGURE 2 is a section through the ring in opened position, being taken about on the plane represented by the line 22 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a view of in inside front elevation of the earring as closed, that is looking from the inside of the spring clip which is applied to the lobe of a wearer.

FIGURE 4 is a view in side elevation of the earring in closed position; and

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevation; that is looking in the direction opposite to FIGURE 3 and with a portion of an ear lobe and an ornament indicated in broken lines.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the earring of this invention is shown as comprising two basic elements. These are; a spring clip identified in its entirety by the reference character S and a clasp indicated generally at C. The latter is of a material that is fairly rigid such as an appropriate metal commonly used in jewelry. It is of generally U shape being defined by a long arm 10, a rounded bend 11, and a short arm 12. The latter terminates in an end flange 13 having a straight edge 14 at the free end thereof.

Outstanding from the opposite side edges of the arm 12 are a pair of pivot tabs 15 which are integral with the arm 12. These tabs 15 are spaced from the flange 13 and particularly the end edge 14, thereof.

The spring clip S includes an inner leg made up of an end portion 16 and a central part 17 with these parts being integral and disposed at a slight angle with respect to each other. The clip S also includes an outer leg made up of an end portion 18 and a central part 19. These parts also arranged at an angle. The central parts 17 and 19 of the two legs are integrally joined by a bend 20.

The spring clip S is made of a metal having good properties of resiliency and elasticity whereby it is imparted the characteristics of a spring. Moreover, the angular relation obtaining between the two portions of each leg results in the end portions 16 and 18 assuming the outwardly flared position illustrated. The legs have an appreciable width at the bend 20 which is substantially maintained throughout the central parts 17 and 19. However, this width gradually diminishes in both end portions 16 and 18 towards the free ends thereof.

The end portion 18 of the outer leg is formed with a pair of inturned ears or flanges 21 on the opposite side edges thereof. Each of these ears 21 has a pivot opening 22 that receives one of the tabs 15.

As mentioned above, the long arm 10 of the clasp C is intended to carry a suitable ornament. This ornament may be of any size or shape. Purely by way of example such an ornament is depicted in broken lines in FIGURE 5 and designated 23.

While the manner in which the subject earring functions is believed to be obvious from the illustrations of the drawings and description of parts, it may be briefly outlined as follows.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the opened position of the earring. In this position, the end edge 14 of arm 12 of clasp and openings 22. Thus, it is on the left side of dead center. The end portion 16 of the inner leg of clip S engages this edge 14 and due to the spring' a'ction'the clasp is urged to and held in open position. I v I When the earring is to be applied to the lobe of an ear of a wearer, such as depicted in broken lines at 24 in FIGURES the clip S is positioned behind or on the inside of the lobe. The long arm 10 of clasp C is now moved towards the clip S. As this action takes place, the end edge 14 rides along the face of the'end portion 16, flexing the latter. When dead center is passed, that is when the edge 14 assumes a position on the right of the pivot line the force of the spring clip S will be effective to tend to rotate the clasp C in' a clockwise direction (speaking with reference to the showing of the drawing). Thus, the long arm 10 is urged toward the clip S under yielding pressure and the lobe 24 is clamped between this clasp arm 10 and leg portion 17 of the clip.

What is claimed is:

1. In an earring, a clasp of generally U shape and comprising a long'arm integrally joined to a short arni by a bend, pivot tabs on-said short arm, an end flange on said short arm in angular relation to the remaining portion thereof and presenting an end edge spaced from said pivot tabs; and a spring clip of generally U shape comprising inner and outer legs integrally joined by a bend, said inner leg being in sliding engagement with said end 1 4 1 edge, and ears on said outer leg and formed with pivot openings receiving said pivottabs,'said openings'an'd't'abs establishing a pivot line which is offset with respect to said short arm whereby said clasp is urged by said clip in either one of two opposite directions depending on which side of dead center said edge is disposed, together with an ornament carried by the long arm of the clasp, the legs of the clip gradually diminishing in width towards the free ends thereof, and the pivot tabs are formed on and project from opposite side edges of the clasp arm and the ears on the clip leg are integral therewith and directed towards the other leg thereof; each leg of the clip comprising an end portion and a central p art in angular relation with the end portions diverging towards the ends thereof; the bend and contiguous portions of the central leg parts being enlarged as compared to the spacing of the remaining portions of said central leg parts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS- 1,967,965 7/1934 Morehou'se 61 a1. 1 24-252 2,391,635 12/1945 Mark 6314.4 3,158,011 11/1964 Carroll 6314.4

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 63-14' 

